The use of automatic safety alert messages to warn the driver of an automobile of an impending problem are currently in use in many automobiles. The message alert is usually in the form of a light, an audible sound such as a buzzer and/or a human voice. These devices are generally designed to alert the driver of a fault such as low oil pressure, that one or more doors of an automobile are ajar, excessive speed and other similar problems. The lights and buzzer have recently been replaced or augmented with a voice alert that is produced by either a tape recorder or a digital voice synthesizer.
Problems and equipment down-time have arisen with many of the current systems because of their electronics complexity and difficulty in maintenance. Other problems with current systems employing voice synthesized devices is that the word clarity, in many cases, is poor and they are limited in word length. Therefore, pauses between alert statement, which are necessary for message clarity, are sacrificed to achieve word length. These pauses are especially important when the radio is on and the warning messages must be heard above the radio program audio.
Three items missing from current systems include: a siren detector circuit, a speed indicator circuit and a timed personal message circuit. The siren detector circuit provides an alert signal when a fire or police siren is near by. This alert is especially critical when the radio is on and the windows are closed; under these conditions, it is very difficult for the db level of the siren to overcome the db level of the ambient noise environment inside the automobile. The speed indicator circuit is used to alert the driver when a preselected speed has been exceeded. In the prior art, there are speed alerts available that are based on instantaneous speed. The instant invention uses average speed to avoid annoying alerts that are caused by slight instantaneous excursions that occur when the speed limit is exceeded. The timed personal message, that can be programmed to turn-on at a preselected time within a one-year period, includes messages such as meeting notice, birthdays, automobile maintenance reminders and other messages of a personal nature.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention however, the following U.S. patents were considered related:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 4,389,639 Torii, et al 21 June 1983 4,383,241 Kojima, et al 10 May 1983 4,373,116 Shimizu, et al 8 February 1983 4,314,232 Tsunoda 2 February 1982 4,302,752 Weitzler 24 November 1981 ______________________________________
The Torii et al patent discloses a voice warning device that provides the warning over the same speakers that are connected to the automobile radio or cassette player. The warning is heard even if the audio level of the radio or cassette player is at a fairly high level. Additionally, the device incorporates circuitry that allows graduating the intensity and urgency or the warnings in proportion to the importance of the problem condition giving rise to the warning.
The Kojima et al patent discloses a voice warning system for vehicles. The system is designed to provide an audible voice warning when one of a plurality of critical vehicle fault conditions is detected. The system includes circuitry that allows detected conditions to be ranked in accordance with their critically importance. Thus, if a given fault condition is detected, the generation of the voice warning may be inhibited for that specific condition, if a higher priority condition is simultaneously present.
The Shimizu patent discloses a voice trip information system that includes distance travelled, duration of trip, amount of fuel consumed and the fuel consumption rate. The initial trip data is stored in a memory circuit when the ignition switch is turned on. Thereafter, the on-going trip data is calculated. When the driver turns-off the ignition switch to stop the engine, the final data messages are delivered to the driver in a voice form.
The Tsunoda patent discloses a voice warning system for an automobile that informs the driver of various items relating to vehicle speed and distance. The messages are prioritized by order of importance. Thus, a message that the current vehicle speed has exceeded a preset speed limit is given higher priority than a message giving the distance travelled. The system describes voice emitting circuits that use either an electronic voice synthesizer or an endless loop tape and a circuit that permits the distance travelled interval to be changed in accordance with vehicle speed.
The Weitzler patent discloses an electronic time-keeping device for issuing preselected messages at predetermined times. The device includes a computer with a memory for receiving and storing information and a processor for processing the stored information. The device records and reproduces the messages on distinguishing tracks of a tape recorder. The recorded information identifying a plurality of specific future events is placed into the computer memory by a programmer and a selector selects and prepares any of the tape tracks for operative coupling to the audio system. In response to the timed occurrence, the computer energizes a signaling element to alert an individual that activation of the audio system will produce the preselected message reminder.